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CL&P says its ready for emergencies; urges customers to plan ahead

September is National Preparedness Month and with hurricane season is underway, CL&P said in a press release is ready to respond to any damage or outages Mother Nature may bring to Connecticut. In the press release, the company encouraged customers to plan ahead and take action before an emergency strikes.

“Effectively responding to emergencies requires a clear plan and advance preparation,” said Peter Clarke, senior vice president of Emergency Preparedness for Northeast Utilities, parent company of CL&P, in a press relese. “We are committed to year-round emergency preparedness and consistently finding ways to improve our electric system and the storm restoration process. We also work with state agencies, municipalities and community organizations to provide assistance with emergency planning and response.”

As part of the company’s emergency preparedness training, the release said CL&P recently conducted several “live line” demonstrations with local emergency responders. The company’s safety training team demonstrated the dangers of coming in contact with live power lines, as well as how storm debris can impact the electrical system, said the release. CL&P also shared safety protocols and their emergency response processes to help keep customers and communities safe.

In addition, the release said, the company continues making targeted investments in the electric system to increase reliability and resiliency. Installing new and stronger poles, wires, and transformers and making substation upgrades will help improve overall service and public safety, said CL&P’s news release. During severe weather, downed trees are the number one cause of outages, often tearing down electrical lines and equipment, said the release. In the press release, CL&P warned everyone to treat all downed wires as live and dangerous and urges customers to stay at least 10 feet away and immediately report the location to 9-1-1.

While the state and utilities prepare for emergencies, the release said, it’s equally important that families and businesses:

Have an emergency plan and a well-stocked storm kit. For a list of essential supplies, see CL&P’s “Shopping for a Storm Kit” video on YouTube at http://youtu.be/X8Y_M4SO5oE.

Follow CL&P on @CTLightandPower on Twitter and at facebook.com/ctlightandpower for important information and outage updates.

Customers who depend on electricity for critical medical needs are urged to contact CL&P at 800-791-3369, so they can be enrolled in a voluntary notification program to help them better prepare for potential outages due to severe weather.

The Connecticut American Red Cross, one of CL&P’s partners in emergency preparedness, provides helpful information and resources at www.ctredcross.org. For information on statewide response, please visit Connecticut’s Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security at www.ct.gov/demhs.